Challenge | Innovation | People | Next

Astronomers are constantly looking for ways to obtain deeper insights of outer space so that they can further explore the universe. Technology such as the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) must be able to capture as much light as possible before transferring it onto scientific instruments. To achieve this critical process, the size of the mirrors are constantly increasing and the designs for them are becoming more complex. SCHOTT’s ZERODUR^® glass-ceramic ensures that crisp images are available to help unlock the mysteries of the cosmos.

It is the stuff that many astrophysicists dream about: While gazing into their telescope, they discover an Earth-like planet, or they learn more about the origins of galaxies, the possibility of extraterrestrial life and the mysterious dark energy.

With the ELT, the European Southern Observatory (ESO) is on a path to creating a new mega-telescope for more advanced space research. It is currently being built on Cerro Armazones (3,063 m), a mountain in Chile.

4 out of the 5 mirrors in the sophisticated optical system of the huge telescope are based on ZERODUR^® glass-ceramic. Several hundred individual components come precisely together to work as a reliable team so that the light reaches where it is needed most – the ELT‘s cameras and spectrographs.

The crucial phase

Technology experts venture into unchartered territory, making the unthinkable now possible: mass production of highly precise mirror substrates – a total of 949 pieces with exactly identical material properties. And by 2024, the day will have finally arrived when the world‘s biggest “eye” in the sky will be ready to cast its first glance into outer space, with the ability to “see” 15 times greater than its predecessor.